Presidential poll: 4 states may vote in full for Pranab Mukherjee

[1]

Of the 28 states, all the votes in four states are set to go in favour of UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, which will leave the Opposition nominee P.A. Sangma to draw a blank.

In four states — Kerala, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim — the entire bunch, which include MPs and MLAs are expected to vote for Mukherjee.

In Kerala and Tripura, the parties, which have MPs and MLAs, have pledged support for the UPA candidate, except for CPI and RSP, which also have legislators in the states. But the two political parties have announced their decision to abstain from voting. All the legislators in Nagaland and Sikkim are also likely to vote for Mr Mukherjee.

All the votes to be polled in these states will go to Mr Mukherjee as the parties, including CPI-M, have pledged support for his presidential bid, save for some unlikely event of cross-voting.

Overall in the election, Mr Mukherjee is likely to have a smooth ride with an assured support from parties, which have a vote value of at least 6.50 lakh, much above the requisite figure of 5,49,442.

With NDA allies JD-U and Shiv Sena breaking ranks with BJP to support Mukherjee, the number on his rival side has dwindled and Mr Sangma is likely to garner around 3.20 lakh. He can muster around 3.65 lakh votes if Trinamool supports him.

Kerala, which has a vote value of 41,812 in the electoral college of 10,98,882, has 140 MLAs, 29 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, of which 15 MLAs (13 from CPI and two from RSP) and an MP (CPI) will abstain from voting. Mr Mukherjee is likely to garner 38,830 vote value, while abstention is valued at 2,988.

In Tripura with 60 MLAs and 3 MPs, Mr Mukherjee is likely to pocket votes having a value of 3,606.

Three MLAs of CPI and RSP, with a vote value of 78, will abstain from voting. Nagaland and Sikkim have a vote value of 1,956 and 1,640 respectively.

Meghalaya, Sangma’s home state, which has a vote value of 3,204, is presenting an interesting picture with some regional parties within the Congress-led coalition in the state rooting for “son-of-the-soil” in the July 19 poll. The counting of votes will take place on July 22.